A question about : ESA and serps credits.
Does anyone know the rules regarding ESA and SERPS credits? I have been trying to sort out my pension since May and am getting nowhere with the Pension Service. I had to give up work and retire 2 1/2 years early due to ill health. I was on ESA I only received contribution based ESA payment for 12 months because my wife works part time. However they said although my payments stopped after 1 year I would still receive credits for my pension etc.
When I received my pension statement I asked for a breakdown of the pension I was to receive. The breakdown showed a SERPS allowance for 12/13 but not the 13/14 tax year. I have exchanged several letters and phone calls with them but they had not sorted it out. Therefore I wrote to 10 downing street who passed it on the the complaints department in Newcastle, who still do not seem to be able to sort it. First they tell me I am receiving it and then they say you only receive it for the time you received actual payment.
The rules for SERPS were changed in 2010 I believe and people on ESA and some other categories receive Ј1.74 weekly pension for each year whilst on ESA etc.
My query is this. Are you entitled to the SERPS allowance if you are on ESA and do not receive an actual payment? The DHSS wrote to me in July when I retired and advised me that from that date I would no longer be on ESA. Therefore I was on ESA for 21/2 years but only receive payment for the first 12 months.
I would be grateful for any advice please.
Best answers:
- You could try writing to your MP. I had an ongoing problem with DWP which went unresolved for about 6 months. Finally wrote to my MP (who I didn't actually have much faith in), but it did the trick, and in about 6 weeks, had a letter from DWP saying everything had been sorted out.
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